TOP STORY

H1N1 vaccine exposure during pregnancy is studied

A recent Danish study found that exposure to the influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 vaccine during pregnancy was not associated with a significantly increased risk of major birth defects or preterm births.» More

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Cultural competency

Pharmacists need to gain insight into cultural competency to better serve the increasing racial and ethnic populations in the United States.

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EDITOR’S PICK

Payers seek more comparative research documenting value and affordability of high-cost therapies

Private health plans and payers are demanding more evidence from pharmaceutical marketers to support reimbursement for new and old therapies, while striving to reduce their pharmacy expenditures by driving generic prescribing and imposing high copays on patients. » Click here.

CONSENSUS STATEMENT

HRT relatively safe for healthy postmenopausal women

Short-term hormone replacement therapy is a relatively safe treatment for healthy, recently postmenopausal women, according to a new consensus statement. » More

CLINICAL NEWS

New therapy for patients with heavy menstrual bleeding

An oral dose of modified-release tranexamic acid may offer an effective first-line therapy for patients with heavy menstrual bleeding, according to a recent study published online July 17 in The Annals of Pharmacotherapy. » More

OxyContin users are switching to heroin

A new formulation of the widely prescribed painkiller OxyContin has led drug abusers to shift to heroin, according to research results reported as a letter to the editor in the July 12 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. » More

Survey

Continuously emerging data suggests increases in abuse of prescription painkillers are at record-high levels. Which of the following strategies would best enable your organization to curb this issue?

a) "Lock-in" programs – limiting access for high utilizers to single pharmacy and/or physician provider
b) Tighter dispensing limits on the number of units and/or prescriptions a patient can receive for controlled meds
c) Limiting coverage to only long-acting formulations with effective abuse-deterrant delivery systems
d) More broad and advanced state-based controlled prescription monitoring/surveillance systems
e) Limiting coverage of long-acting opioid prescriptions to select specialty providers
f) Other

Click here and see what your colleagues think, too.

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